New Super Luigi U Hits Wii U eShop in June, Retail in August

Outside of Nintendo’s announcement regarding their exclusive partnership with SEGA, perhaps the most surprising news to come out of today’s Nintendo Direct was about New Super Luigi U.

Previously announced as a downloadable content add-on for New Super Mario Bros. U, they would later reveal that it would contain 82 new stages spread across the map of New Super Mario Bros. U, featuring Luigi with his higher jumps and more slippery movements. Today, Nintendo announced a release date of June 20th and a price of $19.99 for the title, along with some other new details.

The big one would be that image to your right, as not only will New Super Luigi U be available as a downloadable add-on, but also as its own stand-alone retail title. This version, which does not require a copy of New Super Mario Bros. U to play, will be available on August 25th at a price of $29.99.

Furthermore, we learned that like New Super Mario Bros. U before it, the game will support four players simultaneously. In addition to Luigi, he’s once again joined by the yellow and blue Toads, but not Mario. Instead, the thieving Nabbit will be playable.

All of the characters will move and jump the same way, according to Nintendo, but Nabbit has some interesting characteristics. In particular, he cannot collect power-ups to use as the other three characters can, but nor will he take damage from coming into contact with enemies. The idea is to apparently offer a character which less-experienced players can still have fun with in Luigi’s more difficult adventure.

As an aside, today’s Nintendo Direct also revealed that there is apparently no new story for New Super Luigi U— it is literally the exact same opening sequence as in the original game, only with the different characters in place at Princess Peach’s tea party. It would been nice if they had at least shown us a reason why Mario is incapacitated– doesn’t Luigi deserve even that much?